HOLDING THE GATE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3980, 13 July 1915, Page 5

HOLDING THE GATE.

SUPERB DEFENCE OF CALAIS. THE FLANDERS CAMPAIGN GENERAL FRENCH’S DESPATCH. LONDON, July 11. General French’s despatch continues : The Flying Corps are becoming a more and more indispensable factor of the combined operations. The officers have shown .marked ingenuity in devising improvements in tactics. Since the last despatch there lias been a considerable increase in the number and activity of German aeroplanes. There have been 60 combats m the air, in which not one British aeroplane was lost. Most of the encounters were over German lines, but it is known that six German aeroplanes were wrecked. Many others wero chased down and forced to land. Some divisions of the new army have reached France, and' ought to prove a valuable addition to any fighting force. They appear to bo thoroughly well officered and commanded. The equipment is in good order and efficient. The shooting; of their artillery* is extremely good. They are quite fit to take their places in the line. The pioneer battalions created a very favorable impression. The officers are keen and ingenious. The men are of good physique, good' diggers, and experience has shown that the Territorials have now reached a standard of efficiency enabling them to be usefully employed as complete divisional units. In whatever kind of work the units boro an active and distiugushed part, and proved themselves thoroughly reliable and efficient.

General Joffro on May 27th inspected the Seventh Divisional Army and expressed appreciation of their appearance on parade.. Despite constant strain owing to the arduous nature of the fighting the spirit of animation in all ranks remains liigh and confident. The men meet every demand with the utmost cheerfulness. _ This spirit is particularly manifest in the men in hospitals. Even with those mortally wounded the invariable question that conies to the lips of those hardly- able to utter a sound is: '"‘How are things at the front?” General French pays tribute w> General Haig’s valuable services at Festubert, and to General Plumer s fine defence at Yprcs. General French, referring to the attack upon the Fifth Army Corps at Frezen.borg, states that the vastly superior German artillery fire, with unlimited ammunition, made it impossible to have efficient trenches and to properly organise the line alter the gas attacks. .. „ The German bombardment finally concentrated on the morning of the Stii May upon a lino north. -and. sout-li of Fneaenberg. The German fire completely obliterated the trenches and caused enormous losses, a heavy infantry- attack following causing our lino to give way. General Plumer narrates that during the morning of the Bth the right of one brigade was broken, then the centre, then part of the left. The next brigade, the Patricias of Canada, however, stuck to their trenches throughout the day. By midday the centre of another brigade was broken* but tlio First Suffoiks forming the brigade’s right, bold on. They were apparently surrounded and overwhelmed. . , We launched a counter-attack at 3.30 which reached Frezenberg, but was driven back. * General Plumer concludes: Despite the severe shelling and many casualties the spirit of all ranks was excellent. The enemy losses, particularly on the 10th and 13th, were unquestionably serious.” _ General 'French continues: Desultory- fighting went on to Mav 24th, when a violent burst of gas on nearly the whole front preceded a most determined attack east of Ypres. A large proportion of our men were asleep ancl the attack was too sudden tor them to be given time to put oil rcspiratois. The Second Royal Irish and Ninth Argvlls wero overcome: by the gas and driven out from the front of the hue, which the enemy fortified. Ail attempts to retake, it failed:. Wo took up a position slightly to the rear of the old line. , . General French s despatch, id firing to the battle of Festubert, states: “In pursuance of a promise given to General Joffro to support the attack his troops were making on May. out at Arras, I directed General Haig to attack the trenches at Rougebanc. W e found tlie position much stronger than anticipated and more extensive artillery preparation was necessary- to crash, the resistance offered by numerous fortified posts. “Repeated efforts to progress were made on the 9th. The violence of tlio enemy’s machine-guns from posts on the flanks rendered the trenches s difficult to hold that all units of the Fourth Army Corps had to letne. 1 sanctioned General Haig s disposal to concentrate all resources upon, the southern point of attack. “Misty weather prevented the action recommencing before the lot , when I placed, the Canadian dmsio rienoral Haig’s disposal. Dui mg the night of the 20th the Canadians brilliantly seized several trenches, pushing on the whole line several lnmdred yards, and capturing machinegT +he 24th the immediate object of the attack did not exist, Rp ed General Haig to consolidate tn of ***** «*** j“ ]ieavv losses. We captured 10 machine guns and destroyed a number of ot Kougliout the >ttlo the Third Army Corps was active with machine demonstrations, holding the enemy oa its front.

STRAIGHTENING THE LINE SUCCESSFUL BRITISH ATTACKS ENEMY COMPLETELY SURPRISED. (Received July 12, 3.20 p.m.) 1 LONDON, Julv. 12. Reuter’s correspondent with, the British headquarters reports as follows: The latest British offensive in the vicinity of Bolsinghe.cn Tuesday was well-executed and achieved a considerable straightening of the line. Heavy artillery bombarded the enemy positions for an hour, clearing the entanglements and enabling the attackers, with, slight losses, to occupy the enemy trenches. Prisoners admit that they suffered severely from the bombardment and one battalion had 400 casualties, while many others were buried in the Trenches. The attack was ■ a complete surprise, and every enemy counter-attack failed. Our artillery almost, in every caso, got the information that the Germans were massing and stifled the assault, the enemy losing severely. I The prisoners are mostly a good .class of Prussians. ... . The French artillery helped us by preventing reinforcements coming up. german activity continues. PREPARATIONS FOR BIG MOVE. - (Received July 12, 11.10 p.m.) v ROTTERDAM, July 12. Unusual activity among the Germans in Flanders continues. Bridges are being strengthened to enable the passage of guns.. A German offensive with tremendous artillery is anticipated. . ,